6 ideas for kids & chores

I think cleaning, emptying the dishwasher, folding clothes, and regular household chores are a family event. No one should get stuck doing them all! Here are some tricks on how you can get your kids to help:

1. Introduce cleaning early! My children were learning how to help at age 1. By teaching them early they know what to expect from the start and it does not become an issue later on.

2. Don't give allowance for what they have to do. Sure, allowance is a great reward if they go above their duties, but everyone in the family should have a job they are responsible for. And as kids get older, their responsibilities should increase as well.

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3. Keep a list of jobs everyone is expected to do. Everyone should be responsible for their own bedroom and clothes as well as something around the house. For young children, have them take their own clothes to the laundry room. My 8 year old now folds her own clothes and puts them up.

4. For young children, make a game out of it. We love to sing songs, see who can pick up the most toys the quickest, or make it a scavenger hunt by asking the child to find something red to put in the toy box and so on...

5. Never let them leave a friend or relatives’ house without helping pick up. Even if the host tells them “not to worry about it.” And expect their friends to do the same at your house. Be sure to give the kids fair warning before it is time to leave so they can knock it out.

6. Clean as a family. My daughter loves helping me put up the dishes or whatever else she can. One person can sweep or vacuum while the other goes behind them and mops. Or someone can clean the windows as the other vacuums.

I saw a memo on Pinterest that said to change the wifi password if your child/teen isn't wanting to do their share of the housework. I plan on using that if we should ever run into that problem.